Razor head with moveable blade package

Abstract

Razor heads and shaving systems are disclosed which comprise multiple blades and/or multiple skin-engaging elements which are supported to provide those elements with composite motion in response to forces encountered during shaving, i.e. those elements move along non-parallel paths. In one embodiment, a razor head comprises a base, a guard element and a blade package movably supported for movement relative to said guard element. A movable support for the blade package comprises a first resilient portion extending generally forwardly from the base toward the guard element and a second resilient portion extending generally upwardly from a forward portion of the first resilient portion toward the blade package.

1. A razor head comprising:
 a base; 
 a blade package comprising a blade support and at least one blade coupled to said blade support, said at least one blade having a sharpened edge; and 
 means for movably supporting said blade package comprising a first resilient portion extending generally forwardly from said base and forward the sharpened edge, and a second resilient portion extending generally upwardly from a forward portion of said first resilient portion toward said sharpened edge; 
 wherein an upper portion of said second resilient portion is integrally formed with a lower portion of said blade support. 
 
   
   
     2. A razor head according to  claim 1  comprising a guard element and wherein said blade package is movably supported for movement relative to said guard element. 
   
   
     3. A razor head according to  claim 2  wherein said blade package comprises a plurality of blades. 
   
   
     4. A razor head according to  claim 3  wherein forces exerted on one or more of the blades of the blade package during a shaving operation result in rearward movement of said second resilient portion and upward movement of said forward portion of said first resilient portion such that a forward most portion of said blade support moves upwardly and rearwardly while a rearward portion of said blade support moves downwardly and rearwardly relative to an original position of said blade support. 
   
   
     5. A razor head according to  claim 4  wherein said blade package comprises at least three blades, and wherein in response to said forces a skin-engaging edge of a forward most blade rises upwardly, a skin-engaging edge of a middle most blade moves downwardly and a skin-engaging edge of a rearward most blade moves downwardly at a greater slope than said movement of said middle most blade. 
   
   
     6. A razor head according to  claim 3  wherein each of the plurality of blades has a sharpened edge, and wherein the first resilient portion extends generally forwardly from said base and forward at least one of the sharpened edges. 
   
   
     7. A razor head according to  claim 2  wherein said blade package comprises at least three blades. 
   
   
     8. A razor head according to  claim 7  wherein one of said blades is unsharpened. 
   
   
     9. A razor head according to  claim 8  wherein said unsharpened blade is positioned between two sharpened blades. 
   
   
     10. A razor head according to  claim 2  wherein said blade package comprises a cap member. 
   
   
     11. A razor head according to  claim 1  in combination with a razor handle wherein said razor head is pivotally connected to said razor handle. 
   
   
     12. A razor head and razor handle combination according to  claim 11  wherein said razor head comprises a plurality of blades and pivots about an axis located on a shaving plane defined by the edges of said blades. 
   
   
     13. A razor head and razor handle combination according to  claim 12  wherein said razor head comprises a cap and a guard element and said pivotal axis is proximate a midpoint between said cap and said guard element in the absence of external shaving forces.